Eric Adams Has Turned His Back on the Charter School Movement He Once Embraced
During his 2021 campaign, New York’s Democratic Mayor Eric Adams presented himself as a champion of education choice and charter schools. He earned support from pro-charter groups and major donors, including allies of Success Academy, New York City’s largest and most successful charter network. However, his stance on education has shifted, raising concerns as he runs for reelection (now as an independent) against democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani and former Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo.Â
As Brooklyn Borough President, Adams supported the expansion of Gifted & Talented programs and advocated for early admissions testing in underserved neighborhoods. He unequivocally stated his support for lifting the cap on how many charter schools could open in NYC, as a way of “scaling up excellence,” a reference to high-performing charter models that have consistently delivered better outcomes for students across the city.
Shortly after taking office, Adams began retreating from these positions. Despite the clear performance advantage of charter schools, his administration shifted away from expanding their presence and instead sought politically convenient alliances. He distanced himself from education reformers and aligned more closely with entrenched interests opposed to school choice.
Charter schools, especially those serving low-income and minority communities, consistently outperform traditional district schools. The 2024 New York State Exam results showed that 96 percent of Success students passed the state math exam, compared to 53 percent of New York public school students, and 83 percent passed the English language arts exam, compared to 49 p
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